Freighter that struck object in Lake Superior safely reaches Thunder Bay
DULUTH, Minn. — A large ship that was taking on water in Lake Superior has safely anchored in Thunder Bay.
The ship started taking on water after it struck something underwater in Lake Superior.
The U.S. Coast Guard said they received the report shortly before 7 a.m. Saturday. The 689-foot Michipicoten freighter, which is carrying taconite, struck the object roughly 35 miles southwest of Isle Royale.
The Michipicoten has pumps on board, which crews were using to displace water. The coast guard said that as of Saturday morning, there were no signs of spillage.
Around 8:15 a.m., officials said the Michipicoten had tilted from 15 degrees back to 5 degrees.
Half of the 22-person crew was removed from the ship for safety. A separate freighter, the Edwin H Gott, is alongside the Michipicoten, the coast guard said.
Taconite is a low-grade iron ore, which according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, is mined from the Mesabi Iron Range near Hibbing and transported from Duluth to different ports around the Great Lakes region.